In general, motor vehicles include display devices which normally are vacuum fluorescence displays (VFD) or liquid crystal displays (LCD) for displaying operational data. Such display devices show, for example, the state of safety components such as electronic safety assistants or comfort devices of the vehicle which indicate seat adjustment, seat heating, window lifters, external mirror settings or other infotainment components, including for example, a navigation system or a car radio.
The specification EP 1 798 588 B1 has further disclosed a control system to control functions in a motor vehicle. To this end different display surfaces and display devices are provided in different positions on surfaces inside the vehicle. The display devices are used for the graphic display of images and virtual control elements inside the vehicle. Detection units detect operator entries when the virtual control elements are actuated. A control device is data-connected with the detection units and the display devices on the different display surfaces for displaying the virtual control elements in dependence of the detected operator entries. To this end, projection units are distributed throughout the inside of the vehicle to project pictures of the images and the control elements onto a projection surface from different projection angles.
Due to the plurality of images and information which can be visually displayed, conventional dashboards equipped with such imaging devices may become clutter or may divert the attention of a driver from essential information such as the traffic. Therefore, display devices and images are provided in the vehicle which produce a virtual picture visible for the viewer in the area of the windscreen. Such devices are called head-up displays (HUDs).
These known display devices require a considerable amount of installation space in a motor vehicle. Moreover the plurality of vehicle functions to be controlled together with their associated images and control elements on virtual and real screens leads to a confusing overall layout which may be distracting to the driver due to the complexity and multitude of images and control elements during actuation of such control elements.